Michael Irvin speaks out on Eagles boycotting WH - 'hate that we're at that place'
It’s no secret that President Donald Trump doesn’t enjoy the best of relationships with certain NFL players.
Trump caught the ire of players when he said last September that the “sons of b—–s” who kneel during the pregame playing of the national anthem ought to be “fired.”
In response, many more players decided to kneel, thus reigniting a controversy that originally began in 2016 when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt prior to a preseason game.
Among those protesting were several Philadelphia Eagles, leaving fans to wonder whether or not those players would visit the White House following their Super Bowl victory in February over the New England Patriots.
Of course, it’s customary for championship-winning teams from the major American sports to travel to the White House and celebrate with the president.
However, these are no ordinary times, and Trump is no ordinary president.
In the days leading up to and following the Super Bowl, some Eagles players made it clear they had no intention of being part of this tradition, including safety Malcolm Jenkins, defensive end Chris Long and wide receiver Torrey Smith (who’s now with the Carolina Panthers).
But according to Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin — who won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys — the White House boycott is a shame.
“I hate that we’re at that place,” Irvin told TMZ Sports this week. “The guys who are winning championships aren’t going to the White House. I love the tradition of going to see … the most powerful man in the world because you were the most powerful team in your sport.”
Irvin added that he hopes the custom can live on controversy-free, though that might not happen until Trump is out of office.
“Hopefully we can get back to that, if not this president’s term, maybe the next,” he said.
At the same time, Irvin said he recognizes that the players protesting have the right to express their views in whatever way they see fit. “That’s what politics is. Everybody gets to express their opinions, and those guys are expressing their opinions,” he said.
It appears that’s exactly what Jenkins, Smith and Long are doing, as each of them have cited Trump or the anthem protest in explaining why they wont’t go to the White House.
“We read the news just like everyone else,” Smith said before the Super Bowl, according to NJ Advance Media. “You see Donald Trump tweet something. … We have those conversations in the locker room, just like everyone else does in the workplace. We’re very informed about what goes on, and we’re trying to continue to educate ourselves.”
“They call it the anthem protest,” he added. “We’re not protesting the anthem. It’s a protest during the anthem. I understand why people are mad, or may be offended when someone takes a knee.”
For Long, it’s the second time in as many years he will skip the White House visit. During the 2016-17 season, he was a member of the Super Bowl-winning Patriots, and he boycotted the customary trip then as well.
“No, I’m not going to the White House,” he said in the week leading up to Super Bowl LII on the “Pardon My Take” podcast, as reported by USA Today. “Are you kidding me?”
After the big game, meanwhile, Jenkins appeared on CNN’s “New Day” to announce he would refuse to visit the White House.
“Nah, I personally do not anticipate attending,” Jenkins said.
After being asked if he had a message for Trump, Jenkins replied, “My message has been clear all year. … I want to see changes in our criminal justice system. I want to see us push for economical and educational advancement in communities of color and low-income communities.”
It’s not clear if there are other Eagles players planning to skip the White House visit. Moreover, the White House has yet to announce when the visit will happen.
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